Safety
 Worker safety and professionalism have always been a primary focus of the Tree Care Industry Association. The program that perhaps best exemplifies TCIA's commitment to worker safety is its new Certification program, the CTSP, or Certified Treecare Safety Professional.
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The purpose of TCIA's CTSP program is to improve worker safety by empowering and encouraging employers and employees to develop and nurture a culture of safety within their organizations. The goal is to eliminate work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses and their associated costs.
Another example of TCIA's commitment to a culture of safety is the Model Company Safety Program. With this program, the tree care company can have all the tools and information needed to implement a comprehensive safety program for a fraction of the cost of developing one internally.
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Since 2001, TCIA has been compiling statistical information on accidents in the commercial tree care industry. The data helps focus our efforts in safety program development. Members who would like to to participate in this important initiative may request a survey form. Please call for information, 1-800-733-2622. Your information will be handled with strict confidentiality.
TCIA keeps a list of colleges and universities with arboricultural programs, along with other helpful career information. Click here.
Despite many commendable efforts and individual successes with safety over time, accidents continue to increase in tree care. This reputation as an industry that can't seem to keep its workers safe is one that hurts our ability to recruit and retain employees, reduces consumer confidence in our abilities, and shrinks our profits when accidents and injuries raise our costs of doing business.
The Certified Treecare Safety Professional program was designed to address several of the challenges to safety that tree care companies face. More than a straightforward "safety trainer" credentialing program, CTSP teaches safety professionals strategies and tactics for changing the very "culture" of their organization. A Certified Treecare Safety Professional is able not only to coach his/her team in safe work practices, but also work to change attitudes about safety and motivate other employees to want to participate.
To move forward as an industry and become safer, we need more than standards and requirements. We need an industry-wide commitment to a culture of safety. Through CTSP, a culture of safety can be developed one company and one individual at a time, and as this happens, our industry will be transformed from what it is today.
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Commercial Arboriculture
Commercial arborists, plant, prune, cable, fertilize, inspect, protect during construction, reduce impacts of pest damage, and remove trees.
Municipal Arboriculture
Municipal, or "urban" foresters manage trees and green spaces owned by cities. This aspect of arboriculture deals mainly with trees along streets and boulevards, city parks and around public buildings. Urban foresters provide services similar to those provided by commercial arborists but also develop and enforce tree ordinances.
Utility Arboriculture
Utility arboriculture is more than just electrical line clearance to prevent power outages. It also involves planning tree maintenance, awarding contracts, and inspecting the work performed. Utility arborists work with property owners to teach them about the need for proper tree maintenance near utility lines. They also advise customers on tree species that are suitable for planting near power lines.
Private Consulting
Consulting arborists provide clients with information on diagnosing plant health, appraising plants for value, and other issues. As a consulting arborist, you may be contracted by homeowners, insurance companies, municipalities, lawyers, planners, developers, landscape architects, or others.
Research
There are opportunities in many aspects of arboricultural research. Universities, arboreta, and larger companies are the main employers of tree care researchers.
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